Trailer Spare Wheel Or Lack Of.

roywebster · 18 October 2004, 20:44

I am writing this just in case others out there are as silly as me and run without a spare trailer wheel.

On Sunday I set off from home to tow the boat to Levington. I called at a local petrol station to fill up.this was about a mile from my house. As I pulled onto the pumps the trailer wheel hit the corner of the island that the pumps are on and bang a large split in the tyre.(the corner of the island was covered in stainless steel).

The AA tried to get me a new tyre without any luck and told me that they would send me a recovery vehicle to take the trailer back to my house but as the trailer was over 18 ft I would have to pay the cost. Their contractor quoted £60 call out fee plus £45 per hour and it would take 2 hours plus vat.

I refused their kind offer and drove the mile home very slowly with hazards on.

If I had been more than a mile this would have been a costly error.

For the rest of the day I kept recalling Sue at Humber when I purchased the boat saying do you want a spare wheel for the trailer and me replying no.

Roy

Mark Halliday · 18 October 2004, 21:31

£150!!!!! Thats a bit steep.

My boat and trailer were recovered for £95 inc. VAT last spring by Westbourne Motors, who normally do RAC recovery work. It was 6pm, Sunday evening too.
I had lost a hub, so a spare would not have helped.

Tim M · 18 October 2004, 21:37

Same thing happened to me about three months ago about 100 miles from home. Fortunatly the AA man was able to get me new wheel and put it on. However, I havn't learned from my mistakes. I got another flat on the trailer yesterday, which meant taking the wheel off and taking it into Norwich for a new tyre. I think from now-on I shall carry a spare wheel, and a wheel brace for removing it (the car one isn't the same size!!)

Erin · 19 October 2004, 16:46

Just out of curiosity then, how do you jack up your trailer. No car jack I know of would be particularly safe. It would need a trolley jack presumably.

Andy · 19 October 2004, 16:53

I carry a trolley jack and a small chunk of railway sleeper to get the trolley jack high enough. Also its worth loosening your wheel nuts or bolts and lubing them every season as they can be sods to get off by the side of the road.

timboli · 19 October 2004, 17:53

I have bought one of these air jacks powered by the car exhaust from ebay,I havent tried it in anger yet but it seems to jack up the car ok.I still carry axle stands though.

SDGANDER · 19 October 2004, 18:35

Been there done that and got the t-shirt!

Was waiting for my spare to be delivered when I had a blow out on the way home...

Living in rural Surrey albeit with large towns either side of me within 5 miles I struggled hard to find a tyre dealer open on a Saturday afternoon.

Cost me £20 odd to get it eventually but probably around as much spent in mobile telephone calls and petrol to find some one open...

As for the worry of some one nicking the outfit while Iwas running around - PRICELESS as the advert says!

Oh and a Volvo jack is a pain to use on something non-volvo!!!

Should have known better I guess....

SDG

Jeff · 19 October 2004, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by timboli

I have bought one of these air jacks powered by the car exhaust from ebay,I havent tried it in anger yet but it seems to jack up the car ok.I still carry axle stands though.

Have had the same problem - tried to use an ex- Omega estate scissor jack which I kept on the boat - only to shear the nylon bush !!! and get nowhere.
Fortunately the good old volvo V70 jack was a bit more up to the job and managed to change the wheel - albeit a bit of a dangerous balancing act !!
I have since invested in the same - a Draper 3T air jack ( web search will find them) and have used it to "practice" - a first class piece of kit in my view. Now always use it for brake servicing - much quicker and safer than any jack - but do use axle stands for security.
As I don't carry stands when towing ( along with all the dive gear) - I have tested the stability with only the airbag and its fine.

Hightower · 19 October 2004, 20:08

Just a thought, and I´ve never tried this before but could you raise the jockey wheel that would lower the front of the trailer. Pack something under the back of the trailer crossmembers, behind the affected wheel and lift using the jockey. Would this have the affect of raising the wheel off the ground? Any one tried this method?

Andy

Wayne Rogers · 19 October 2004, 21:30

I carry a small bottle jack rated at one ton,they don't cost much but will save a lot of agro.

lc0021 · 19 October 2004, 22:04

mmm - good point. I'm getting a spare wheel....

swginn · 19 October 2004, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Just a thought, and I´ve never tried this before but could you raise the jockey wheel that would lower the front of the trailer. Pack something under the back of the trailer crossmembers, behind the affected wheel and lift using the jockey. Would this have the affect of raising the wheel off the ground? Any one tried this method?

Andy

That might just work Andy!! I'll give it a go tomorrow, i'm sick of lugging a trolley jack around in the boot!!

Bilge Rat · 20 October 2004, 07:30

Do new trailers not come with a spare wheel ? would have thought it was an important piece of kit to include for a new trailer, after all you wouldn't buy a car without a spare wheel would you ?

swginn · 20 October 2004, 07:36

My new Snipe didn't come with a spare. It was £50 extra for the spare including tyre and bracket.

Bilge Rat · 20 October 2004, 07:42

This is outragous, when i bought my boat i had to buy a jack, wheel brace, spare wheel, trailer straps, trailer lock and once home changed the bearings, all this ran up my initial cost by £150......hiden costs we dont always think about do we ?

swginn · 20 October 2004, 07:49

Well as regards hidden costs, to be fair to Barnet Marine they did tell me I would need to get a spare for the trailer in advance. All straps, lightboard, trailer lock were free. They were good quality straps so I'm not complaining.

Anybody thought about bolting on some sort of bracket so you could use your car's jack. My wheelbrace from the car fits the trailer so if I could do this I wouldn't need to carry any additional gear.

Nick Hearne · 20 October 2004, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Just a thought, and I´ve never tried this before but could you raise the jockey wheel that would lower the front of the trailer. Pack something under the back of the trailer crossmembers, behind the affected wheel and lift using the jockey. Would this have the affect of raising the wheel off the ground? Any one tried this method?

Andy

Andy yes I have done this, not with the boat but with a hours box!
Now I'm talking b***k I did it a couple of months ago with the boat!
But I do carry a scissor jack with me also which dose the job.
Nick

Rich L · 20 October 2004, 10:59

The Shogun bottle jack & nut spanner are just fine thanks & I always carry a spare of course.

swginn · 20 October 2004, 11:01

Yep I had a go at doing it today too and it does work!! Only took me 2 mins and it lifts the wheel by about 2". Obviously I'll still carry a jack as it's simpler than carrying and stacking all that wood, brick, etc under the back of the trailer.

Handy to know it works though. Lets face it, the day you forget the jack at home will be the day you get a flat. Murphys Law!!

Hightower · 20 October 2004, 19:16

Just don´t try to do it on a hill!!